Stockist Spotlight: Kitty and Dulcie

KITTY AND DULCIE

Please introduce yourself to my readers – who are you and what do you do? When did Kitty and Dulcie get started as a business and what were the main ideas behind setting the business up?
We’re Shelley Carter-Bright and Kirstie Taylor and in 2011 we set up Kitty & Dulcie – our online bridal shop. We felt there was a huge gap in the market for beautiful wedding dresses at affordable prices. We’ve created a range of designs, which combine luxurious fabrics and amazing workmanship. With a mix of lengths and fashion forward styles to choose from we offer leading edge dresses with fairy tale price tags.

We’ve just celebrated our third birthday. Three years have flown by in a flurry of satin ‘n tulle and we couldn’t be happier with the way we have been received by our brides and the press. Being solely internet based we don’t have the usual overheads of other bridal companies which means we’re able to pass on those savings to our brides. All of our designs are priced below £400 – our current SALE includes gowns priced as low as £100.

Why did you decide to enter the wedding industry?
Kitty & Dulcie is Kirstie’s brainchild. Kirstie is a multi award winning accessory designer who has been creating adornments for brides for just under a decade with her company Flo & Percy.

Can you tell us what inspires you as a designer?
Our inspiration can come from anywhere – an amazing visual in a magazine to a TV character’s attire to a fleeting glance of a girl looking incredible on a station platform. We share a love of vintage fashion especially from the 50’s - cinched in waists and full skirts with maximum twirl capacity really float our boat.

Could you share with us some of your favourite pieces of your work? What makes them your top picks?
Of course we are very proud of each and every design but our Pearly Queen never fails to bring joy. It’s been worn by brides in the UK, France, USA and all over the world, is very much loved and it’s just £350. The feedback we get from our brides is that they felt like a princess in the Pearly, they were comfortable, they danced the night away and were able to show off their foot candy to one and all. Our Dame Dulcie is THE most incredible gown made of satin and lace – it’s a firm favourite of our brides and has even made an appearance on BBC3’s ‘Don’t Tell The Bride.’

Do you have any words of advice for brides to be in choosing their wedding dress?
We want our brides to treasure and remember fondly the shopping experience she has had. How our bride is treated and the service she receives from us is at the heart of our business. As an Internet only company it is important that we give as much help and attention that the bride would receive had she gone into a shop. We encourage our brides to ask as many questions as possible – everything from the cut and flow of the gown to the type of shoes and hair accessories that will match. If you’re buying from the internet make sure you have measured yourself correctly, make sure you will be able to return the gown for a full refund and never be afraid to ask questions.

If you were asked to choose a pair of shoes for a bride to wear with one of your dresses which stockist would you turn to?
That’s a tough question as we’re drawn to so many brands. With a quirky, retro wedding dress you can afford to go kitsch with heels. Irregular Choice shoes really stand out from the crowd with their vast array of eye-catching designs. Their embellished heels, intricate charms and fancy fabrics are second-to-none. We love these: Mrs Lower, £99.99

I love your Strictly London collection - I think that the shoot looks fabulous! Is London a place that is close to your hearts?
We have a soft spot for Strictly London as it was our first collection. It’s proved incredibly popular and helped win Kitty & Dulcie the title of ‘Best Wedding Newcomer’ at the 2012 Perfect Wedding awards. London was our first choice; we both spend lots of time there, especially around Spitalfield Market where we shot that particular story. It’s such an inspiring place with its vintage stalls and mix fashion-forward clientele.

Do you have any projects in the pipeline that you would like to share with us? What are you hoping to achieve in 2015?
We’re really excited about our upcoming 2015 collection of designs including four bridal gowns and one deliciously dotty and totally bargainous bridesmaid dress which we hope to launch towards the end of January 2015.

Do you have any words of wisdom for anyone who is thinking of setting up their own business in the wedding industry?
Go for it. There were some who thought a bridal business that didn’t have a shop would never succeed – we stuck to our beliefs and the formula has been a mighty success. Long may it continue.